appropriate source has been identified. Therapy should be initiated early and
continued throughout the diagnostic work-up. [ 7 - 8 ]
II. Definition and Recognition of Sepsis Syndromes
Sepsis encompasses a clinical continuum of established infection with
physiologic evidence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), which
may progress to severe sepsis, and ultimately septic shock. The goal of early
therapy is to interrupt this progression, minimize end organ dysfunction, and
provide supportive care, while treating the source of infection. Over the last 10
years, we have learned that genetic predisposition may play a role in the severity
of host response to infection. Thus some individuals progress to septic shock
much more rapidly than others, making the early diagnosis all the more important
in those patients’ survival. [ 9 ]
The following outline the definitions of sepsis syndromes, as proposed by
the International Consensus Conference on Pediatric Sepsis and the Surviving
Sepsis Campaign. [ 7 - 8 ]
- Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS)